


From one father to another

by Kindryte



Series: The troubles surrounding adoption [2]
Category: Dream SMP - Fandom, Minecraft (Video Game), Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Amnesia, Character Growth, Denial, Everyone is Upset, Gen, Phil is upset, Tough conversation, Wilbur is upset, ghost character, no beta we die like my dreams, parenting, someone get these guys a therapist
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-26
Updated: 2020-11-26
Packaged: 2021-03-10 05:08:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,188
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27717943
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kindryte/pseuds/Kindryte
Summary: Wilbur talks to his dad after finding out his son is likely to get adopted by a traitor.Sequel to 'The first Orphan' but it can be read on its own just fine :)
Relationships: Floris | Fundy & Wilbur Soot, Wilbur Soot & Phil Watson
Series: The troubles surrounding adoption [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2027026
Comments: 13
Kudos: 155





	From one father to another

**Author's Note:**

> Since so many people seemed to like my previous fic, I decided 'what the heck' and started writing another.

Phil Minecraft has seen a lot of the world. He’d lived in lands that were inherently out to kill him, and he raised four sons he would always love, no matter what they did. 

Still, he wasn’t perfect, and didn’t know how to deal with some more...complicated issues. Honesty always seemed like the right way to go about tough conversations though, and when he felt a ghostly presence fast approaching, he knew he’d have to be open and honest in a tough conversation again. 

“Phil!” The voice of one of his sons called, frantic yet somehow hollow-sounding. The winged human turned, seeing Wil- No, Ghostbur- floating a little behind him, limbs somehow faded a bit more than normal. He seemed panicked, scared. 

This was going to be a tough conversation. 

“Did-” Ghostbur started. “Did Fundy give you any books to sign ...o-or…. papers?”. Phil sighed. “He did. He handed me some adoption papers.”. “o-oh…” Ghostbur spoke, his arms fading a bit more “Did… you sign them?”. “Not yet.” Phil replied. “I have to make sure that the guy- Eret- would make a good parent, and that his castle is up to code. I’m being extra thorough with him, since Fundy is my grandson.” 

Ghostbur smiled at that- it was small and shaky, but a smile nonetheless. It vanished as he continued though. “Why Eret?” 

Phil sighed. “Eret was the one to approach Fundy and reach out to him. There was no one else who wanted to take the boy in, and Fundy... “

Now came the hardest part.

“Fundy needs a father figure in his life- one who guides him and keeps him safe.”

Phil paused.

“A father who’s alive.”

Phil could practically see his son’s heart break at those words. 

“W-why Eret…” Ghostbur spoke, arms wrapping around himself. “He’s a traitor- someone who didn’t mind standing back as we were-.” The ghost let out a frustrated noise, unable to truly remember what Eret had done, but knowing it had been bad enough to turn an entire nation against him. Ghostbur’s head snapped up. “What if he hurts my son?!” He asked, desperate to make sure Phil would NEVER sign those documents. “What if this is all just to get back at me?! What if-”. “Then he’ll regret ever even thinking of approaching my grandson.” Phil spoke, his voice filled with a tone Ghostbur instinctively knew was often used to scold him and his brothers when they were kids. 

Phil sighed. “I understand how scared you are. But I will make sure that Fundy is safe and has a good home. I promised him that, and I promise you that as well.” 

Ghostbur seemed to draw back into himself, and Phil embraced his dead son. Ghostbur briefly wondered how his father was able to touch ghosts, but he ultimately decided against asking, wanting to instead know something else. 

“How… awful was I?” The ghost asked. “How bad of a person was Wilbur?”. Phil let out a thoughtful hum. “For most of your life… you weren’t a bad guy.” He spoke, holding his son a little more tightly. “You were a musician, an entertainer. You loved to make people happy and you had a way with words that could rally armies. You inspired people, gave them hope… and made them feel as if they were fighting for something truly special.”

Phil regretted many things: He regretted not being there for the war his sons had fought. He hated the fact he wasn’t there to keep Wilbur from losing his mind, and he was shocked that two of his sons had caused such devastation. Maybe if he had been there, none of this would have happened. 

“Then why didn’t I even get a funeral?!” Ghostbur shouted, pushing Phil away. “Why did people look so terrified and angry at me when I first appeared? Why does Tommy act so wary and defensive around me? Why does my own son do his very best to avoid me any chance he gets?! What did I do Phil?!” 

Phil’s heart ached as he saw his son so… lost and frustrated. “For most of your life, you were a hero” The winged human spoke. “You did great things, you truly did. But near the end you changed.” 

Ghostbur looked up at his father, lost and afraid, and Phil was reminded of that evening he had taken the boy in. He’d been so small back then. Phil had promised to protect him, and never let him have that look of despair and loneliness again. 

He’d failed.

“Near the end… you put a lot of people’s lives in dang-” “Stop” 

Phil looked at his son, who only just barely seemed to be holding himself together. “I… I think I get it.” He spoke. “But please… I-I don’t want to hear…” 

Phil embraced his son again. “I won’t” the winged man simply spoke. “I’m sorry. You’re not ready to hear about it yet, aren’t you?”. Ghostbur nodded. 

“I remember when you first told me about Fundy…” Phil spoke, wanting to make his son feel at least a little better. “You called me at 3 AM and frantically asked me how to take care of a baby. You said you had a daughter, and I was proud of you.” 

“Son…” Ghostbur corrected, though he seemed to have calmed down a little. “I had a son”

“Back then neither one of us knew what he’d identify as later.” Phil spoke. “You were so afraid of messing up- of somehow hurting your child. You did great though, and every time whenever you’d contact me, you’d gush about your little champion.”

The spirit smiled at the memories. “My little champion…” 

“You adored that kid.” Phil continued. “Even if you made mistakes, even if you babied him far too much. Even if you weren’t the perfect parent, it was clear to anyone with eyes that you adored him.”

“I did…” Ghostbur spoke. “I still do.” 

“...You weren’t the perfect parent.” Phil spoke. “You made mistakes. You’ve hurt your son in ways that you may not understand, but that doesn’t mean you cannot be there for him anymore.” Ghostbur’s hold on his father tightened. “You can still be there for your son. Maybe not as a parent, but as someone who genuinely loves him and wants what’s best for the kid.” 

The ghost stayed quiet, thinking over his father’s words. 

“Fundy needs a father…” Ghostbur eventually said, letting go of his own and backing up a little. “And I need to make up for what I’ve done.” 

With that, the ghost vanished. Phil was unable to detect the spirit’s presence anymore, and let out a shaky breath, before continuing on his way. 

Wilbur hadn’t been the ideal father, but neither had he been. Phil was aware he hadn’t been there when his sons had needed him most, but that had changed the moment he realized he’d effectively turned his grandson into an orphan. He had missed too much of Fundy’s life, and hadn’t been there for his sons, but that would change. 

He wasn’t going to leave his family to fend for themselves again.

**Author's Note:**

> Comments give me enough dopamine to last trough the rest of 2020, but don't feel like you HAVE to comment~!  
> [Also, I have a Ko-fi in case you'd like to support me~](https://ko-fi.com/N4N82SSOX)


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